This 1.5 carat Oval
has a face-up area of approx. 41.83 mm², which
is slightly out of normal range for 1.5ct
Ovals.
A face-up area is the area of the girdle plane and tells
you how big the stone looks when viewed from the top (as set in a ring).
This diamond looks rather small for its carat weight. It has a spread of a well cut 1.25ct Oval → learn more

Actual Diamond Size

Here you can see how big 1.5 carat Oval
(8.75×5.83×3.56mm) actually is and how it
would appear on a ring and finger.
Adjust the ring and finger size to get an idea of how it
would look on your finger. To choose another diamond or to change diamond parameters
click here.

To see how this 1.5 carat Oval
(8.75×5.83×3.56mm) compares
to other diamonds, click here.

Buying Guide: Oval cut

For Ovals, no strictly accepted standards are defined in terms of cut parameters. You should stay within the recommended parameter ranges defined below. In general, avoid too deep or too shallow stones, and watch out for prominent bow-ties.

How much does a 1.5ct Oval cost?

It depends. The value of a diamond is determined by a combination of its unique characteristics - the famous 4Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat). It can get complicated, but you can quickly check the price range for Oval diamonds of around 1.5 carats by clicking here »

The search results will show you Oval cut diamonds from 1.4 to 1.6 carats with all the recommended parameters already preselected in order to give you the best value.

Online-only stores will always offer better prices compared to bricks & mortar stores, their
main drawback, however, is that you rarely get the opportunity to visually inspect the diamond
before purchasing. Luckily, this is not always the case. A few reputable online retailers
(see above) are now providing actual Hi-Res photos of the diamonds
they're selling, making it easy and safe to shop online. For best value, buy online.

Note: Seeing a high quality photo of the actual diamond before purchasing online is a must.
This goes especially for fancy shapes as the market is quite flooded with ugly looking stones.

Additional Diamond Info

Oval cut is an elliptical version of the brilliant cut. It's relatively contemporary, developed in 1960s, and may appear similar to the cushion cut. Its fire and brilliance is almost on par with that of a Round Brilliant. Oval is quite distinctive in shape, and a great alternative, if you want something a bit different than the classic Round.

General size appearance:

Oval cuts typically look larger when viewed from the top compared to other shapes of the same carat weight.

Depth percentage for 1.5 carat
Oval
(8.75×5.83×3.56mm)

Depth percentage of Oval cut is the ratio of the total depth (measured from table to culet)
to its width. The total depth percentage of this diamond
is 61.1%, which is OK.

Depth percentage for ovals is calculated with the following formula:

Depth % = (total depth ÷ width) × 100

1.5 carat
Oval
(8.75×5.83×3.56mm) depth %:

Total depth: 3.56 mm
Width = 5.83 mm

Depth % = (3.56 ÷ 5.83 ) × 100 = 61.1%

About Depth Percentage

Depth percentage is one of the most important measurements as it plays a critical role in diamond's
brilliance and appearance. If a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, light leaks out, making
the stone less brilliant and fiery. Deep cuts also add hidden weight.

Recommended depth percentage range for Oval cuts
is between 59% and
65%.
Diamonds that fall out of this range are generally less desirable and
usually best to be avoided.

Face-up size evaluation for 1.5 carat Oval
(8.75×5.83×3.56mm)

The face-up size of this 1.5 carat Oval
(8.75×5.83×3.56mm) is slightly out of normal range for
1.5ct diamonds of this shape. Compared to 1.5
carat Oval reference diamond,
this diamond appears a bit too small when viewed from the top, which means it's
probably a borderline chubby.

A chubby is a diamond with hidden extra weight that looks smaller than it should when
viewed from the top. Hidden weight is typically a result of a poor cut usually linked to oversized
girdle, deeper pavilion, and/or steeper crown.

In order to maximize profits, diamond cutters tend to retain as much weight from the rough
as possible. This practice, however, can have detrimental effects on the stone's face-up
size and its optical qualities. Poorly proportioned stones look duller and sparkle less than
well cut stones. Chubby stones also look smaller.

The bottom line:
One should never sacrifice beauty for weight.
You probably don't want to pay for extra weight that doesn't add anything to the beauty.
You want a stone that looks its weight. Sizewise, this 1.5ct Oval looks like a well cut 1.25ct Oval.

1.5 carat Oval reference diamond

Since there are no specific ideal proportions defined for Oval cuts,
an estimation formula is used to calculate the Oval reference diamond.

Parameters:

Weight:

1.5ct

Depth:

61%

L/W ratio:

1.5

Calculated values:

Length:

9.29 mm

Width:

6.19 mm

Depth:

3.78 mm

*Est. face-up area:

47.15 mm²

Note: Oval diamonds with face-up area of within 9% lower
and 12% higher than reference Oval diamond area
are considered to be of adequate face-up size.

* Estimated Face-up area: Face-up area of Oval cuts
is only an estimation (±5%). Due to uniqueness of each stone,
it's impossible to accurately calculate face-up area given only a diamond's measurements.

Face-up Area For Ovals

Face-up area is a measure of the size of the diamond when viewed from above.
It tells you how big the diamond is at the girdle plane. It's important for a diamond to have
sufficient face-up size for its carat weight.

Note: Due to geometrical uniqueness of fancy shaped diamonds, it's impossible to
accurately calculate
face-up area given only length and width. Surface area for oval cuts
is therefore only an
estimation, usually within 5% accurate.

Face-up Area per Carat

Face-up area per carat is calculated by dividing face-up area of the diamond with
its carat weight. It tells you how many square millimeters of the top surface area
a diamond is showing or would show for 1 carat weight. This can be useful when comparing stones
of similar weights as it tells you how much spread per carat you will get.

Note: Face-up size does not linearly grow with carat weight,
which means the heavier the stone, the smaller its face-up area per carat (e.g., 1ct stone will have
higher face-up area per carat than 2ct stone).

Face-up area per carat for 1.5ct Oval (8.75×5.83×3.56mm):

Top surface area = 41.83 mm²Weight = 1.5ct

Face-up area per carat = 41.83 ÷ 1.5 =
27.89mm²/ct

Color Recommendation For 1.5ct Oval

Oval cuts tend to show color slightly more than Rounds, so if you want to ensure that your stone looks white, you don't want to go too low with the color grades. The choice of color also depends on a setting:

Solitaire

Small side-stones

Substantial side-stones

White gold/Platinum

I+

H+

same as side-stones+

Yellow gold

J+

I+

same as side-stones+

e.g. pave setting

e.g. three-stone setting

Note: If side-stones are of any
significant size (like in three-stone settings), you should at least match the color of
the center stone with the color of the side stones,
otherwise the center stone might look out of place (a bit "off-white").

For best value, go with the minimum recommended color for a particular type of setting.
Color variations between I graded and higher colored
Oval cuts are so slight that it's almost impossible to
tell the difference, especially when diamonds are mounted.
The difference in price, however, can be quite considerable.

Clarity Recommendation For 1.5ct Oval

Ovals are quite good at concealing inclusions, so you can go relaively low on the clarity scale. SI1, SI2 clarity or higher is recommended.

Note: You can always go lower in clarity, but it's going to
get increasingly difficult to find an eye-clean Oval below
the minimum recommended SI2 grade.

For best value, go with the lowest clarity possible that is still eye-clean.
If a diamond is eye-clean, it doesn't matter, if it's flawless or
SI2.
It will look the same, provided all other characteristics are the same.

About Diamond Clarity

Diamond clarity refers to the presence and visual appearance of the flaws inside a diamond (called inclusions)
or on its surface (called blemishes). Clarity tells you to what degree these imperfections are present.

The amount of inclusions and blemishes is directly correlated to a diamond's value. Fewer imperfections
mean higher price and vice versa.

Gemological laboratories grade diamond clarity as Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF),
Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1,VVS2), Very Slightly Included (VS1,VS2),
Slightly Included (SI1,SI2), and Included (I1,I2,I3).

GIA and AGS Certified Diamonds

Professional and unbiased assessment of diamond characteristics is stated on a diamond grading report,
commonly referred to as a certificate. Certificate, while not 100% reliable, is
essential in determining a diamond's value.

The standard for diamond grading is pretty much set by GIA - Gemological Institute of America.
They are the most reputable and consistent lab in the industry. AGS (American Gemological Society)
is not far behind.

If a diamond is not certified by GIA or AGS, you can be pretty much certain that you are looking at
lesser quality than indicated. This puts you in a bad position of not knowing the true diamond characteristics,
which almost always results in overpaying.
That is why a certificate from a well-respected grading lab is so important.

The bottom line: Make sure to always buy a diamond certified by either GIA or AGS.
That's the only way of truly getting the quality you expect.

Diamonds with Blue Fluorescence

Blue fluorescence can have a positive, negative, or zero effect on a diamond. Diamonds in the
lower color range (H or lower) can benefit from it, as it can make them look whiter, more colorless.
On the other hand, strong fluorescence can cause a stone (especially in the higher color range D-G) to
appear hazy or milky under certain light conditions. One of the biggest benefits of
fluorescent diamonds is that they generally cost less.

Faint fluorescence will have zero effect on color and overall appearance.
Fluorescence of this type is not an issue and shouldn't be a purchasing factor.

Medium fluorescence will in most cases have zero to very small influence on color
and overall appearance, however, colorless diamonds can sometimes
exhibit negative effects and should be examined in
different light conditions before purchasing.

Strong/Very Strong fluorescence requires caution.
Generally, it's not a good idea to buy a colorless diamond with Strong/Very Strong fluorescence.
As for lower color
diamonds, even they can sometimes look hazy with strong fluorescence, so never buy a stone with
this type of fluorescence without careful visual inspection.

If you're interested in fluorescent diamonds that have been carefully examined and do not
display any negative effects of fluorescence, I recommend
Brian Gavin's Blue Diamonds. Those are definitely top of the line and a great value.

Diamonds Without GIA or AGS Certificates

The problem with diamond grading labs other than GIA or AGS is that they are looser
and more inconsistent in their grading standards.
A GIA color H is an IGI color G and an EGL/HRD color F. The same goes for clarity.

While it's true that IGI, EGL, and HRD diamonds are sold at a discount, you can be certain
that the same stones would cost less, if they would be certified by GIA or AGS. Why?
Because they would get lower grades and thus lower price. Lower than discounted IGI, EGL,
and HRD stones with higher grades.

Diamond merchants use IGI, EGL, HRD, and alike to maximize their profits. They know they can
sell diamonds with inflated grades for more, even if they're sold at a substantial discounts.
Some merchants also use their in-house certification, usually for the sole purpose of increasing
their profits. These kinds of certificates are meaningless.

The bottom line: If you don't want to overpay and want to know exactly what kind of quality you're
getting, then avoid diamonds without GIA or AGS certification.

Buying shy

Buying shy means choosing a diamond that falls just under the full-carat or half-carat mark.
So instead of 1ct stone you go for 0.95ct; instead of 1.5ct you go for 1.4ct, and so on.

Because diamond prices jump dramatically at full-carat and half-carat weights,
you can save a considerable amount of money when buying shy.
Going up to 10% down in weight will result in a slight difference in size, but so slight
it'll barely be noticed, if at all. To check this for yourself, use this site to compare different sizes.